Captain Nathan Bridger whistled a light tune as he made his way down the corridors to his cabin.  Despite the fact that Captain Clayton was here for an inspection he was in a good mood.  He knew that good mood was due almost exclusively to a certain someone who had breezed into his life and turned it upside down with all the passion and fire of a summer storm.

Nathan's smile broadened as he moved down the last corridor and found the hatch to his stateroom open.  But as he stepped down into his cabin Nathan's smile disappeared when he saw that it wasn't the object of his thoughts who was inside but someone else.

 Captain Clayton stood beside the bunk and in one of his hands he held a very familiar piece of material.

 "What do you think you are doing?!"  Nathan demanded as he slammed the door shut behind him.

Clayton turned around and held up the silky green negligee "I certainly hope this isn't yours, Bridger. Unless there's something you've been hiding." Clayton quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course it's not mine!  Evaluating my ship and crew does not mean you have authority to pry into my *personal* and *private* life!" Nathan snapped as he snatched the gown from Clayton's grasp and moved toward the dresser.  He opened one of the top drawers and slipped the gown inside.

"I do have authority if this *personal* and *private* life involves a subordinate officer.  I'm sure I don't have to remind you that is a court martial able offense."

"I'm not *stupid* Clayton.  The woman in question is a *civilian* science officer and that is all you or the UEO have any right to know.  What I do in my off duty hours is *my* business and no one else's" Nathan finished defiantly.

Clayton glanced around the cabin and his gaze stopped at the open closet door.  There next to Nathan's uniforms was the unmistakable blue jumpsuit belonging to the science contingent of the seaQuest.  He turned back to Nathan with a smile.

"Now, can we get on with this inspection." Nathan stated petulantly.

"Very well, Bridger."  Clayton replied and moved to the hatch.

Nathan watched as Clayton climbed the steps to the docking ladder.  At the last minute Clayton turned back to face him.

"Oh Bridger, by the way that's quite a feisty redhead you have there. Take my advice and don't let her get away." He finished with a smile and a quick salute and then he was gone.

Nathan chuckled as he watched the man disappear then spun on his heel and went in search of that ‘feisty redhead'.

Nathan looked up when the bathroom door opened and watched as Kristin stepped from the head and moved towards the bunk.  His eyes followed her appreciatively, taking in that she was clothed in only a skimpy white towel.  She paused at the bunk and looked as though she were searching for something before turning to face him.

"Nathan, have you seen my night gown?"

"Which one?" Bridger questioned as he got up and crossed the room to her.  He knew perfectly well which gown she was referring to.

"The teal green one. Remember? It's your favorite." she added with a seductive drawl.

Nathan smiled and stepped away.  He opened a drawer in the dresser and held something up.  "You mean this one." he supplied with a grin.

"How did that get in there. I was certain I left it on the bunk."

"You did." Nathan began has he moved back to her.  "But I found Clayton snooping this morning. He had this in his hands and was asking some *impertinent* questions about who it belonged to." Nathan finished, his fingers stroking the silky material.

"And what exactly did you tell him?" Kristin purred as she slipped the garment from his hands.

"Do you really want to know?" Nathan supplied with a boyish grin as he reached out to trace the line of her collarbone with a gentle finger.

Kristin smiled and shook her head in mock exasperation.  "Nathan Bridger, what am I going to do with you?"

"Well I can think of something." Nathan added as his fingers dropped to toy with the knot in her towel.

"Mmm, I'll just bet you can." Kristin added and tilted her head down, watching as he released the knot and the towel dropped to the floor.